This disclosure in particular relates to an improved selection of raw materials input, involving the use of recycled cullet screened and vibrated, as well as a specially mixed and controlled resin with the addition of aqueous solutions and an improved apparatus for melting the fiberglass, sometimes referred to as the melter furnace, the plate (bushing) with perforations (orifices) for exiting the molten fiberglass from the melter, a temperature control assembly controlling temperature of the Urea Formaldehyde (UF) Resin and filament strands exiting the orifices of the bushing plate, in combination with an aqueous solution spray through a spray assembly and binder(s) through a binder spray assembly, which sprays various additives and control chemicals onto the fiberglass to adjust its properties as it winds onto a rotating drum, and the ability to spray various aqueous solutions onto the rotating drum in a specified manner covering the fiberglass mat deposited and varying configurations of roller assemblies utilizing portable devices with catch basins that control water spray, and with various chemicals and control systems (software and computers) provides for increased efficiency, quality, production capacity and in particular the creation of progressive densities of a fiberglass mat manufactured from a filament strand manufacturing process.
Subsequent improvements and variations of the Modigliani process have been made and are known in the art. Modigliani and progeny generally involve a melting furnace feeding molten glass which discharges fine glass fibers. In Modigliani and progeny, during the deposition of the fibers on the rotating drum, solutions are applied to the surface of the glass media mat. Technology for making glass fiber strands is known in the art. Such technology is described in several patents issued to Modigliani, namely, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,546,230; 2,609,320 and 2,964,439 and several mentioned thereafter. Modigliani and progeny have done little to improve upon the efficiency of the manufacturing methods and apparatus either through new control methods or through process changes and nothing to adjust densities of fiberglass states to improve both surface and bulk characteristics of the fiberglass as deposited.
The present disclosure relates to improvements to the Modigliani patents and progeny that substantially change the initial conditions and ultimate quality of the fiberglass mat, improving upon the manufacturing process, providing for a different machine and process combination and creating the capability of providing progressive density fiberglass.
It would be advantageous to provide a system of manufacturing fiberglass that increases efficiency in production.
It would also be advantageous to provide a method of manufacturing fiberglass that utilizes a specific orientation of the bushing plate to the drum.
It would further be advantageous to decrease weight variations of the fiberglass mat by using load cells to increase the accuracy of the measurement of the weight variations.
It would further be advantageous to adjust the skin of the fiberglass media by passing the fiberglass media through a roller assembly having either straight or bowed rollers or in some embodiments both with a defined angular rotation that provide differential pressure across the mat reducing weight variations across the media and providing for more consistent water content improving the quality of the top and bottom skins (surfaces) of the fiberglass media as well as creating progressive densities substantially improving the bulk and surface characteristics of the fiberglass.
It would further be advantageous to utilize load cells to decrease weight variations of the mat and increase the accuracy of the final weight which improves product quality and increase accuracy to + or −5%.
It would also be advantageous to apply water by spraying it onto a flat surface of the fiberglass mat immediately prior to curing which results in a more consistent application of water resulting in higher quality skins and/or which in combination with the use of the bowed rollers results in the production of higher quality skins.
It would further be advantageous to apply water in combination with the binder as the binder is applied to the fiberglass on the rotating drum.
It would also be advantageous to apply water in combination with the binder for controlling the moisture content range to 36%-40% content by weight.
It would further be advantageous to control binder temperature range to 70 degrees Fahrenheit plus or minus 10% of the 70 degrees.
It would also be advantageous to control densities of the fiberglass mat in order to provide progressive densities of a fiberglass mat.